Taoist Writers
Laotzu
(c. 571 B.C.–?)
According to Chinese legend, Laotzu was born as an old, bearded, white-haired man, who was thereafter called “The Old Philosopher” or “The Old Boy” and lived to the age of 160. As the story suggests, Laotzu is a shadowy figure, more of a legend than a historical reality.
Laotzu is the reputed founder of the Chinese philosophy of Taoism. Broadly defined, Taoism consists of the joyful acceptance of life and a willingness to yield to the natural world, becoming one with it.
In defining the essence of his philosophy, Laotzu said, “He who knows does not speak. He who speaks does not know.” The Chinese poet Po Chü-i underscored the irony of this statement when he wrote:
/ “He who talks doesn’t know,/ he who knows doesn’t talk”:
/ that is what Lao-tzu told us,
/ in a book of five thousand words.
/ If he was the one who knew,
/ how could he have been such a
/ blabbermouth?
Chuang-tzu
(fourth century B.C.)
The Chinese philosopher Chuang-tzu was the most important early interpreter of Taoism. What little we know about him comes from Chuang-tzu, a book of fictional stories written by others that contains his teachings. In these stories, Chuang-tzu appears as a quirky character who cares little for public approval or material possessions.
Lieh-tzu
(fourth century B.C.)
Though some scholars doubt that he existed, most experts believe there was a real Lieh-tzu, a Taoist teacher who had philosophical differences with his forebears Laotzu and Chuang-tzu. Lieh-tzu argued that a sequence of causes predetermines everything that happens, including one’s choice of action. Since no one can change the unchangeable Way, or Tao, people should pursue their own self-interests.
Liu An
(172–122 B.C.)
Liu An was not only a Taoist scholar but also the grandson of the founder of the Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220). Liu An’s royal title was the Prince of Huai-nan. The prince surrounded himself with a circle of philosophers, and under his patronage they produced essays on metaphysics, cosmology, politics, and conduct.
Literary Focus
Paradox
A paradox is a seemingly contradictory statement that is actually true. For example, in the New Testament, Saint Paul uses a paradox when he states, “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians). The statement challenges us to find an underlying truth that resolves the apparent contradiction. Saint Paul means that when he is weak in worldly terms, he is strong spiritually. Laotzu and other Taoist writers use paradox to focus attention on important Taoist insights. Reconciling paradoxes is key to understanding Taoist philosophy.
A paradox is a seeming contradiction that expresses an underlying truth.For more on Paradox, see the Handbook of Literary and Historical Terms.
ANECDOTE:
ANECDOTE: A short narrative account of an amusing, unusual, revealing, or interesting event. A good anecdote has a single, definite point, and the setting, dialogue, and characters are usually subordinate to the point of the story. Usually, the anecdote does not exist alone, but it is combined with other material such as expository essays or arguments. Writers may use anecdotes to clarify abstract points, to humanize individuals, or to create a memorable image in the reader's mind. Anecdotes are similar to exempla.
Background
The Tao Te Ching is a brief collection of sayings and poetry that teach the nature of Taoism. Laotzu
wrote the Tao Te Ching after leaving China during the decline of the Chou dynasty. In the Tao TeChing, or “Classic of the Way of Power,” Laotzu intended to provide guidance to rulers who wished to govern wisely. The Tao Te Ching has been translated more often than any other book in history except the Bible.
At the heart of the Tao Te Ching is a central figure, “the Master.” According to the translator of this version, the master is a man or a woman “whose life is in perfect harmony with the way things are” and who has become one with “the Tao, the Truth, the Life.” According to Laotzu, water symbolizes, or stands for, a model of Tao, for the fluid nature of water best expresses the nature of Tao.
In the centuries following the writing of the Tao Te Ching, various Chinese thinkers and teachers have interpreted and reinterpreted Laotzu’s philosophy. Many of these writers use anecdotes, or brief stories, to convey their different approaches to Taoist philosophy. Chuang-tzu, for example, tends to point directly to the Tao, or the Way, which he sees at work in the universe. Lieh-tzu, on the other hand, emphasizes the folly of those who don’t see beyond the obvious to the underlying patterns that govern all action.
Taoist Anecdotes
translated byMoss Roberts
Wagging My Tail in the Mud
The hermit poet Chuang-tzu was angling°in the River Pu. The king of Ch’u sent two noblemen to invite Chuang to come before him. “We were hoping you would take on certain affairs of state,” they said. Holding his pole steady and without looking at them, Chuang-tzu said, “I hear Ch’u has a sacred tortoise that has been dead three thousand years, and the king has it enshrined in a cushioned box in the ancestral hall. Do you think the tortoise would be happier wagging its tail in the mud than having his shell honored?” “Of course,” replied the two noblemen. “Then begone,” said Chuang-tzu. “I mean to keep wagging my tail in the mud.”
—Chuang-tz
The Butterfly
Chuang-tzu said, “Once upon a time I dreamed myself a butterfly, floating like petals in the air, happy to be doing as I pleased, no longer aware of myself! But soon enough I awoke and then, frantically clutching myself, Chuang-tzu was I! I wonder: Was Chuang-tzu dreaming himself the butterfly, or was the butterfly dreaming itself Chuang-tzu? Of course, if you take Chuang-tzu and the butterfly together, then there’s a difference between them. But that difference is only due to their changing material forms.”
—Chuang-tzu
The Missing Axe
A man whose axe was missing suspected his neighbor’s son. The boy walked like a thief, looked like a thief, and spoke like a thief. But the man found his axe while he was digging in the valley, and the next time he saw his neighbor’s son, the boy walked, looked, and spoke like any other child.
—Lieh-tzu
The Lost Horse
A man who lived on the northern frontier of China was skilled in interpreting events. One day for no reason, his horse ran away to the nomads across the border. Everyone tried to console him, but his father said, “What makes you so sure this isn’t a blessing?” Some months later his horse returned, bringing a splendid nomad stallion. Everyone congratulated him, but his father said, “What makes you so sure this isn’t a disaster?” Their household was richer by a fine horse, which the son loved to ride. One day he fell and broke his hip. Everyone tried to console him, but his father said, “What makes you so sure this isn’t a blessing?”A year later the nomads came in force across the border, and every able-bodied man took his bow and went into battle. The Chinese frontiersmen lost nine of every ten men. Only because the son was lame did the father and son survive to take care of each other. Truly, blessing turns to disaster, and disaster to blessing: the changes have no end, nor can the mystery be fathomed.
—Liu An
Questions to answer:- How does Chuang-tzu defy society’s expectations in “Wagging My Tail in the Mud”?
- What does “Wagging My Tail in the Mud” reveal about Chuang-tzu’s character? How does the tale reflect Taoist beliefs about the need to be true to oneself?
- What is Chuang-tzu’s purpose in imagining himself a butterfly in “The Butterfly”?
- What does Lieh-tzu’s tale “The Missing Axe” teach about how people tend to judge others?
- What point is being made in “The Lost Horse” about distinguishing good and bad fortune?
- How are paradoxes used inside the anecdotes?
- What do the anecdotes tell us about the cultural values of the Taoists?
Create a anecdote that contains a paradox that express the cultural values of western society. Make sure you have an identifiable value based on Western culture and ensure that your anecdote talks about it. The paradox should help to express your value. Your anecdote must be at least 15 lines long.